Mexico hit by big earthquake

A major earthquake has hit the west coast of Mexico.

The magnitude 7.6 quake shook the country’s central Pacific coast Monday at 1:05 p.m. local time, setting off an earthquake alarm in the capital.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the seismic event struck south of Guadalajara, off the coast of the state of Michoacán.

Initial estimates said the earthquake was a magnitude 7.5 event that hit at a depth of 10 kilometres.

Notable quake, preliminary info: M 7.5 – 41 km SSE of La Placita de Morelos, Mexico https://t.co/VyxRzpO84Y

— USGS Earthquakes (@USGS_Quakes) September 19, 2022

Subsequent readings increased that rating by 0.1, with a revised depth of 15 kilometres.

Shaking was reportedly felt as far away as Mexico City.

There were no immediate reports of damage, according to the U.S. Geologic Survey, which had initially put the magnitude at 7.5.

The earthquake has triggered a “potential threat” for a tsunami in the area.

Monday’s shaker came on the same day as two other high-profile seismic events in Mexico — the first in 1985 and the other in 2017.

The first of the two was a magnitude 8 earthquake that also hit off the coast of Michoacán. That quake caused widespread damage as far away as Mexico City, as well as death and injury.

The other quake to hit on Sept. 19, 2017 was also a deadly event, with the magnitude 7.1 event killing more than 200 people as buildings collapsed around central Mexico.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

With files from The Associated Press